Understanding Sources in Research

What is the primary purpose of using sources in research papers?

• To confuse the reader

• To entertain the reader

• To provide evidence and support for arguments

• To fill up space in the paper

Which of the following is a characteristic of scholarly sources?

• They are written in a light, witty style

• They are intended for a general audience

• They undergo a peer-review process

• They contain advertisements for popular goods

What is grey literature?

• Advertisements

• Personal blogs

• Reports from government and nonprofit organizations

• Fictional stories

Which type of source is closest to the original event or information?

• Tertiary sources

• Primary sources

• Secondary sources

• Popular sources

How can a secondary source become a primary source?

• By being cited in a research paper

• By being used to analyze public reaction at the time of an event

• By being published in a scholarly journal

• By being written by an expert

What is a key question to ask when evaluating the credibility of a source?

• Is the source entertaining?

• Does the source have colorful graphics?

• Does the source have a catchy title?

• Is the author qualified to write on the subject?

Why should you be cautious about using Wikipedia as a source?

• It is always inaccurate

• It is too difficult to access

• It is a tertiary source and not peer-reviewed

• It is only available in one language

What is a sign that a website might not be reliable?

• It has a .gov domain

• It contains multiple spelling and grammar mistakes

• It is frequently updated

• It lists its sources

Which domain type is generally considered more reliable for academic research?

• .com

• .net

• .edu

• .biz

What should you do if a source seems biased?

• Assume it is incorrect

• Consider the bias and compare it with other sources

• Use it without question

• Ignore it completely